Flexible Waterborne Silicone-Based Coating with High Mechanical, Stretchable, and Durable Antismudge Properties

Eco-friendly, flexible, and fluorine-free antismudge coatings have broad applications in soft substrates such as fabrics, premium leather, synthetic leather, and flexible electronic devices. However, developing antismudge coatings possessing both excellent durability and desirable softness and stretchability remains a formidable challenge. Herein, two waterborne silicone-based emulsions were prepared via emulsion inversion point method, using high-molecular-weight divinyl-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (^ViPDMS^Vi) and methyl vinyl MQ resin as raw materials, respectively, with polyether-modified silicone (D(PDMS)PE) compounding with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as emulsifiers. Subsequently, poly(methylhydrosiloxane) emulsion (PHSE) was utilized as a cross-linking agent, and a highly comprehensive waterborne silicone-based coating was successfully fabricated through hydrosilylation among the three types of emulsions. Owing to rational structural design and aqueous-based strategy, the coating achieves the integration of high mechanical properties (≥3.5 MPa tensile strength and 214% elongation) and stretchability, outstanding flexibility (the glass transition temperature below -105 °C), high transparency, excellent self-cleaning, and antismudge performance. Moreover, the exceptional durability of the coating is evidenced by maintaining antismudge properties after rigorous treatments, such as 24 h of UV irradiation, immersion in acid, alkali, and salt solutions for 24 h, 500 cycles of mechanical abrasion under a load of 1000 g, etc. This work provides a feasible pathway for manufacturing high-performance antismudge coatings suitable for soft substrates in a green and sustainable manner.